I love cathedral glass. It's what I work with 99% of the time. Opalescents lack something to me... it's almost like they are trying to deny their translucent, glassy nature. Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful, and I've spent considerable time drooling over Tiffany-era panels and lamps. But it isn't what inspires me and I rarely feel called to work with those glasses. Though, when I do, Youghiogheny cuts SO well for me. I really CAN appreciate them.
I recently made a small panel for my office, the first time in 8 years I've made a glass object for myself and actually kept it. I was focused, as I often am, on the colors. After staring at it for a few weeks I discovered some beautiful contrasts in the textures that I wish I could tell you were a conscious effort.
This is one vertical quarter of the Flag of the City of Chicago. The blue and red are two colors in the same texture. I'm not sure who makes it, but I intend to find out because it has a beautiful hammered effect in the sunlight.
I had originally chosen a Baroque clear/white glass for the white portions of the flag, because I was focused on the white content without wanting to use a truly opaque glass. I ended up not having enough and switched to a sheet of glue chip I had handy. After staring at it I'm finding that from almost any angle the dense glue chipping has an excellent "white" appearance that I discounted. The contrast between the glue chipping and the "hammered" blue and red gives a beautiful layered effect I hadn't intentionally designed into the panel.
I am trying to take this as a lesson for my modern work, to start giving texture the attention it is due, and not just the colors.
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